Zdeno Chara is the oldest free agent still available on the market and the New York Islanders made it clear they would not bring the veteran blue liner back.
For weeks now speculations have surfaced that Chara is considering retirement, but Mike Stephens wonders if the defenseman could decide to choose the option to “move his family again and view continuing to play in the NHL.”
When he left the Bruins and land with the Washington Capitals as a free agent, fans wonder if he had chosen the American capital to stay close to Boston since he didn’t want to move his family. Same thing occurred when he inked a deal with the Islanders.
What happens now if no Eastern Conference team looks to sign him on? Will he want to move his family or will he prefer to retire?
A retirement might come after 24 seasons and 1,880 career games split between the New York Islanders, Ottawa Senators, Boston Bruins, Washington Capitals and a second stint with the Islanders. Chara put up 209 goals and 680 points in 1680 career regular season games , was the Bruins’ captain for 14 seasons, won the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s best defenseman and hoisted the Stanley Cup as captain of the Bruins in 2011. Oh… and he’s literally the biggest man to ever hit the ice in the NHL. All in all, I’d say that’s one Hell of a career.
In my eyes he’s a first ballot Hall of Famer and potentially the greats Slovakian in hockey history. He’s one of the Bruins’ greatest captains in history, as well and I have no doubt that his #33 will be hanging from the rafters at TD Garden once he announces his retirement.
Will he put on a new uniform before he calls it quit? For now, no other team has been linked to Chara for the upcoming season, but there is still time.
